A Breath of Life, For Thee
by Carolare Scarletus
Summary: One fateful night, the Forbidden Forest draws them in and it's up to Scorpius Malfoy to figure out what happened to his classmate, Rose Weasley. Once there, he finds Firenze, who warns him of the dangers of the Resurrection stone and the dangers of tricking Death.


Team: Wimbourne Wasps

Borrowed Inspiration- CHASER 2: Use the title of a story written by your Chaser 3 for inspiration: (tonberrys) this fire in my lungs (burns for the sky)

Prompts: (setting) Forbidden Forest; (color) pastel pink; (dialogue) "Do you mind if we stop for a minute?"

Player: Chaser 2

Word count: 2386( Excluding Author's Note, but including entire Entry and Title)

Warning: This is an AU (Alternate Universe) piece where Rose Weasley dies and Scorpius attempts to raise her from the dead.

Characters: Scorpius Malfoy; Draco Malfoy; Rose Weasley; Firenze

Summary: One fateful night, the Forbidden Forest draws them in and it's up to Scorpius Malfoy to figure out what happened to his classmate, Rose Weasley. Once there, he finds Firenze, who warns him of the dangers of the Resurrection Stone and the dangers of tricking Death.

As always, enjoy

-Carolare Scarletus

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A breath of Life, For Thee

* * *

"You should not have come here, human." The dark voice broke his dark reverie.

Scorpius Malfoy stood in the middle of the Forbidden Forest, clenching the wand in his hand. He'd finally tracked down where she'd vanished, and he was having the hardest time coming to terms with what he was seeing. Steel grey eyes stared ahead, swallowing the darkness that followed his path to destruction. He'd been led astray by his own selfish desires and vision that awoke him and brought him out of his bed.

It was past midnight while he was walking through the corridors when he got the strange need to explore the forest befell 'd been walking the corridors late at night when the thought occurred to him. As soon as he arrived, Scorpius knew he was lost. He abruptly turned, watching as the centaur emerged from the clinging foliage, his face strewn with indifference. Scorpius stood there, his blood drumming through his veins and pounding in his ears. It was as if he knew what he was about to do, and that was to take the life of the innocent creature that stood only a few feet away from them, feeding on the grass. Its celestial body seemed to glow with its own ambiance, and when it perked up, the creature's small eyes captured Scorpius'. For a moment he was lost. The brilliance of life shone vividly through the eyes of the unicorn, and he second-guessed his decision to kill it and steal its innocence.

For a mere second, he believed that the centaur was looking at him. Scorpius soon realized how mistaken he was, turned, and found a lifeless body strewn on the floor, dried blood pooling around the motionless being. Scorpius moved forward, almost certain that his foe would prevent him from investigating, but he didn't. Instead, he moved out of his way and Scorpius was left to pay witness to the truth of the matter.

Something told Scorpius that he'd arrived too late. The sight of her dead body was almost too much to bear. Rose Weasley's pastel pink blood already stained the green grass, mixing with the soil and creating a terrible scene that he couldn't bring himself to admire. Whatever she'd done, the Forbidden Forest was filled with the incredible sense of death and he could only speculate as to why she was lying there, a broken potion bottle next to her.; all around them, the voices of the lost echoed through the densely populated foliage, latching onto the extended branches like their last lifeline. Voices sounded deep within the impregnable reaches of the forest, rising to the treetops and draping over the canopy in the silence of prayer. He envisioned pastel pink, the aura of the girl he was trying to save. She'd been so innocent, much like the unicorn he was about to slaughter. Scorpius knew he'd been a fool to believe he could save her. Rose was someone who didn't stick out, and when she did, it wasn't enough to raise any suspicion. She'd been quiet and calm, as well as incredibly erudite and vibrant. She was her own little star, destined to collapse under her own weight. The only reason he felt any need to even seek out help was because of his deathly affection toward the girl; there was something about her that lit his soul aflame, and she'd committed suicide before he had the chance to tell her. He wanted nothing more to save her and to know why she ended her life. Scorpius would give anything for that, even his soul.

He dropped to the ground, his hands scooping up the cold and muddy remains of his classmate. If the soul could weep, his would. But, no such thing occurred. Unadulterated madness seeped into his veins, and he could feel the dark mention of his anger mix with his pastel pink blood, creating such a powerful sensation that it nearly knocked him flat against the dirt of the Forest. Scorpius immediately looked to the creature and was met with the same plaintive look he'd been greeted with earlier.

"This is what madness creates…" the being said with a faint, distant voice. Sadness was laced with his words, chilling Scorpius to his very core. "She was called to this forest, too. The Elves were warning her, yet she fell victim to their tricks."

"Do you mind if we stop for a minute?" Scorpius wept, sorrow filling his empty heart. "I just lost the only girl I loved and you did nothing to save her. Your kind is supposed to be compassionate toward all living creatures. You're nothing but a monster. "

"She is not of my kind to save," the centaur said to him. "And, you are wrong. You are the monster."

"Bring her back," he whispered, his voice cracking. Scorpius looked at Rose's corpse and wept. "Bring her back, now!" Scorpius stood slowly, his eyes trained on Rose's dead body. Even in death, she looked angelic. He brought his wand forward, murmuring a spell under his breath, ready to attack.

"Put your wand away, Scorpius Malfoy."

"Who are you," he asked in a deathly low voice as he turned around to face the centaur. His grey eyes watched his every move, never straying from his animated form as he passed through his line of vision. Scorpius knew he was a foe the second he heard him step foot near his refuge. He supposed his herd wasn't far, either. "State your name," Scorpius commanded, his voice carrying away with the eerie wind. He had the feeling he was being followed, but by whom, he could not say. He'd reached his destination before he had the chance to explore the dark terrain, and now it appeared that something else was trying to thwart him.

"Firenze," the foe confirmed in a low, yet, soft voice. "And, I know who you are, Scorpius Malfoy. The Elves told me you would come this night."

"How do you know me?" The Slytherin asked, hissing.

"I know enough that what you are about to do, Scorpius Malfoy, is unholy. I have seen men such as yourself waste away to nothing for the power you seek. The second that blood touches your tongue, you will be cursed to live a life of misery, a life that you wish would end." Firenze raised his hand, opening it slightly. The object caught the light of the moon that it caught Scorpius off guard."This is what you seek, is it not? I found it during my travels and I have come to bring it back to its rightful owner. " Firenze slowly raised his left hand, showing him the glistening surface of the Resurrection Stone.

Scorpius slowly lowered his wand. As soon as his magic enveloped him in a cocoon of radiant warmth and comfort, the light in Scorpius' eyes extinguished, leaving him vulnerable to the mistress of darkness. He looked at the stone as if he'd been the one to cast the charm, where Firenze would remain a deep state of uncertainty for the remainder of the night. Voices sounded around him that he didn't recognize, whispering and immenating from the stone. He couldn't make out what they were saying, what they needed. All he could focus on was the creature standing in front of him, his eyes dark and the body standing a distance away. Rose had died in vain and her own selfishness. Dried blood coated her skin, the shock of terror still lingering on her face. He tried to move but couldn't. His body would not allow the closeness; his mind could not bring him to accept what could have been. He was entirely too late. If he had received word when he did, he would have surely missed the chance, and the young woman could have been saved.

Scorpius had been preoccupied with the sudden announcement of Rose's death to think of the repercussions of stealing blood from a unicorn could bring. To mix it with the pastel pink of Rose's blood would hopefully bring her back to life. He'd spent countless hours studying this Dark Magic, hiding his findings from his peers. It was now, after all his hard work, that his plans would come to fruition. If the centaur was saying was true, then nefarious things have come from raising the dead.

Something told Scorpius that Firenze has seen such a thing. He could feel it in his bones. The blood-curdling urgency rose up again, this time thrashing wildly about his darkest corners and rattling his soul. Scorpius was sure he was harboring a monster within his being, one hell-bent on destruction, a juggernaut of inescapable rage. If he hadn't been so captivated by the dead girl lying on the grass, her body rotting away, he would've given up this obsession with the Forbidden Forest long ago. But he couldn't. Scorpius knew that there was something about the irksome terrain that was drawing him in like a moth to a flame.

He looked behind the corpse, catching sight of the Unicorn he'd seen before. He remained just as peaceful and undisturbed as he'd been just moment's ago.

"I know what you are searching for, it is not here," the centaur told him, guiding his large, muscular body toward him. He moved around him, his strong arm held protectively at his sides, ready to attack if the occasion arose. His expression was blank as if he wasn't capable of showing emotion. Scorpius attributed it to the countless years the creature had lived to his inability to depict human emotion. He was sure he'd seen quite a few unfortunate souls lurk within the depths of the forest, seeking out the one and only thing that could bring about their salvation, and that was the blood of a unicorn. "This thing will not bring back your loved ones. And, if it did, they would not be the same. I will not allow you to tread this Forest. Begone!"

"Please, just give me a moment."

"What good does it do to dwell on such suffering, Scorpius Malfoy?" Firenze insisted stubbornly. He quickly moved around him, his long, muscular legs galloping close to where he kneeled. "I sense your turmoil, human," he continued, moving closer to him. "You are here to save that girl that perished. She, too, was called to this Forest, and she was just as drawn to it as you are. Something dark lurks in this haze, the likes of which I have never seen. She could not see the true dangers that lay within the smoky columns, and unfortunately, she met her demise. It will not do you any good to dwell on unnecessary evils."

"You're wrong" Scorpius hissed threateningly. He imagined seeing pastel pink meet the pure essence of Unicorn blood. This fathomless revelation dawned on him that the blood of the innocent creature could bring Rose back to life. The problem was, Firezne was standing in his way. A fleet of centaurs could be watching and lying in wait. He had to proceed carefully.

"You were always the quiet one," Firenze told him. "The Elves have told me about you, Scorpius Malfoy, son of Draco Malfoy, a notorious Pureblood supremacist that would have given up his life to spreading the ideals of his ancestors. He only turned at the very end, but his heroism was overseen. It would do you no good to walk in his shadows."

"My father was a war hero!" Scorpius yelled, his face darkening. He could feel his magic boiling inside of him. How dare this insignificant little creature mock him! His father was nothing but loyal to Voldemort, and only turned at the end.

"Your father is a coward who shed innocent blood, Scorpius Malfoy," Firenze told him, the truth laced in his words. The harsh reality bared down upon him, and for a second, Scorpius believed the terrible truth.

Scorpius continued to advance toward Firenze with remarkable ease. His eyes remained fixated on the creature that had demonstrated so much unrestrained brutality that no soul should endure. He wanted to reprehend him. He wanted to destroy him in the very same way he had destroyed him. Though, despite how much pain he had caused, there was one thing he would not tolerate any longer- his existence. Scorpius may be damned to the eternal pit of Hell just as his ancestors were, but it would not dwell on the same plane as his father. No longer will he allow him to do the unspeakable things he had done to him those so many years ago. He would get his vengeance. He will find some sort of closure.

In an instant, he lunged toward Firenze, wrapping his long, slender fingers around his pale neck. His eyes shot open, completely terrified by how fast Scorpius was able to get to him. He struggled against the closing appendages; it was clear that Scorpius would not only enjoy torturing him in the same manner he had, using his exceptional knowledge to get to him, but he would very much enjoy playing with his prey before its ultimate end.

Firenze, however, tried to put up a fight. Fighting to pry Scorpius off him, he struggled to signal to his herd who lie in wait in the darkness.

Scorpius jumped several feet back just in time to miss the centaur's strike by mere inches. He tightened his grip on his wand, yelling the first charm that came to mind. He aimed his wand at his opponent, allowing the greenish spark to jet out from the tip of his wand. Scorpius sprang into action, flawlessly performing the second spell. Another joined them and the centaur was finally stabilized in an electrifying cocoon of green, white, and gold. Each string of magic, completely unique to the individual spell glimmered in the moonlight.

The second Firenze was situated, Scorpius tore the stone from his hands, ripped opened his shirt and revealed the crest of corruption. Firenze stared at him with wide eyes, but before he had the chance to signal to his herd, he was met with the blinding light of death. Scorpius may have drawn the first blood, but he'd be the one who triumphs in the end.


End file.
